An Atlanta area elementary school serving inner city students where 97% of the students are minority, 92% receive free/reduced meals and 75% of the students are not native English speakers implemented Learning-Focused consistently and pervasively. With an extremely high mobility rate of 50+%, only 15% of the students who start first grade enter fifth grade. For the first time, the year after implementing Learning-Focused, this school met AYP. Students with disabilities increased test scores 30% in Reading in 3 years and 45% in Math in 3 years. LEP students increased test scores 31% in reading in 3 years and 44% in Math in 3 years. All other subgroups increased at least 15%. For the four years since implementing Learning-Focused, the school has met AYP in all sub-groups.

An independent curriculum and instruction auditor performed an independent district audit and concluded:

“The initiative leadership team and the faculty of Sumter County schools should be commended for the notable progress that they have made toward defining a Learning-Focused Power Curriculum] viable, aligned K-12 curriculum and implementing Learning-Focused research-based instructional strategies that are contributing to student achievement gains [over the past two years]. It must be noted that improvements in student achievement in the Sumter County School District exceeded state FCAT averages in nearly every area studied. …the district has demonstrated stunning success in increasing the number of students scoring at or above grade level and reducing the number of students scoring at Level 1. Sumter County scores surpassed State averages in all subjects at all grade levels and demonstrated levels of improvement that surpassed that of 93% of all Florida districts.”

Sumter County Schools in Florida increased math and reading scores by at least 10% each year of Learning-Focused implementation across all schools.

Sumter County Schools, Florida Independent Evaluation Report:
The efforts of Sumter County School’s students, teachers and administrators have been awarded with a district grade of A.
Summary of an initiative evaluation by Mariann Schmuddle, Ph. D. (unaffiliated with Learning-Focused) August 2008

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Study: The largest study concerned 57 schools across 4 school districts in 3 different states.  All of the teachers were trained in the 2003 – 2004 school year on the following Learning-Focused strategies:

• Prioritize and map the curriculum

• Learning-Focused lessons and units

• Acceleration and Scaffolding with students with disabilities and at-risk learners

• Reading comprehension strategies and reading assignments

• Learning-Focused Math

The range of the schools’ student populations:

• 63% - 89% Eligible for Free/Reduced Meals

• 47% - 63% African-American

• 20% - 50% Caucasian

• 12% - 46% Hispanic

In a study of 57 schools implementing Learning-Focused across three states, the average growth over two years was over 18% in reading and over 23% in math.

Percent Gains On State Tests

In a study of 43 schools implementing Learning-Focused across the state of Georgia (approximately 50% inner city, 50% rural)
the average growth after one year of implementation was between 20% and 30% for all four core subject areas, with no school having growth less than 14%.

Study: An Individual School Implementing Learning-Focused

Demographics:

• 1479 students on February 1, 2007

• 39 new teachers in 2006 – 2007 school year

• Students: African-American: 20%; Asian: 8%; Caucasian: 3%; Hispanic: 65%

• 92% eligible for Free/Reduced Meals

• 75% of students do not have English as native language

• 54% served in ESOL program

• 601 of the 2006-2007 students were at this school in 2005-2006

• Only 15% of 2006-2007 5th graders attended this school in 1st grade

• 50%+ mobility rate

SWD = +30 in Reading in 3 years; +45 in Math in 3 years
LEP = +31 in reading in 3 years; +44 in Math in 3 years
All other subgroups at least +15
Met AYP in all sub-groups last 4 years

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Sandhill Elementary School

Location: Haines City, Fl
District/County: Polk County Public Schools
Principal: Sue Buckner
Demographics: 84% free/reduced lunch, Title 1 School
Student mobility 08-09  34.28%, 07-08 46.38%
Retention rate  08-09 3%
42% hispanic, 28% white, 25% African American
Data: Haines City Elementary School began implementation of the Learning-Focused Model during the 2007-2008 school year.

Location: Auburndale, Fl
District/County: Polk County Public Schools
Principal: Pam Wingate
Demographics: Title 1 School with ELL students making up over 40% of student population.
Data: Clarence Boswell Elementary School began implementation of the Learning-Focused Model during the 2007-2008 school year.

Dixieland Elementary School

Location: Lakeland, FL
District/County: Polk County Public Schools
Principal: Debbie Henderson
Demographics:Title 1 School with ELL students making up over 40% of student population.
Data: Dixieland Elementary school began implementation of the Learning-Focused Model during the 2007-2008 school year.

Location: Hazelhurst, GA
District/County:
Principal: Chuck Crosby, Principal
Demographics: Title 1 School
Data: Learning-Focused trained 2003-2004 school year, fully implemented 2004 - 2005